The subject matter disclosed herein relates to model based control of catalytic converter systems. Specifically, the subject matter described below relates to systems and methods for controlling certain parameters of a catalytic converter system.
Gas turbine and engine systems provide power for a variety of applications, such as oil and gas processing systems, commercial and industrial buildings, and vehicles. The turbine and gas engine systems may be fluidly coupled to a catalytic converter system, such as three-way catalytic converters suitable for controlling emissions of certain oxides, such as nitrogen oxides. The engine systems include or are coupled to a control system that oversees the operation of the engine system. The control system may improve efficiency of the engine system, and provide other functionality. For example, the control system may improve the efficiency of internal combustion engine systems by controlling the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine, which represents the amount of air provided to the engine relative to the amount of fuel provided to the engine. Depending on desired applications, the control system may try to keep the air-to-fuel ratio near stoichiometry. Other applications may keep the air-to-fuel ratio in a range between rich (i.e., excess fuel) and lean (i.e., excess air).
As will be appreciated, engine systems produce exhaust gases as a result of burning fuel; and the type of exhaust gases emitted may depend in part on the type and amount of fuel provided to the engine system. Many industries and jurisdictions (e.g., coal-burning plants, federal and state governments, etc.) may have regulations and restrictions specifying the types and amounts of exhaust gases that different gas engine systems are permitted to emit.
To comply with regulations and restrictions, the gas engine system may use the catalytic converter system to control emissions. The catalytic converter system receives the exhaust gases and substantially converts the exhaust gases into other types of gases permitted by regulations and restrictions. The performance of the catalytic converter system may impact the performance of the gas engine, and vice versa. It would be beneficial to improve the performance of the gas engine and catalytic convertor systems via the control system.